


These are the Ties that Bond

by InquisitorDovah



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Assassination, Assassination Attempt(s), Children, F/M, Gerudo Culture, Good Ganondorf (Legend of Zelda), Magic-Users, Major Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Ganondorf (Legend of Zelda), Parent-Child Relationship, Revolution, Teenagers, The Interlopers, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:00:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26332306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InquisitorDovah/pseuds/InquisitorDovah
Summary: These are the Ties That Bond is an AU where Link and Zelda are twins that were raised in the desert by Ganondorf and an OC after the assassination of their parents the King and Queen of Hyrule.A kink in the cosmic chain if you willThe ultimate goal is to have them retake their throne but many obstacles and questions lie in their way.
Relationships: Ganondorf/Original Female Character(s), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> What's this? Another new story??  
> I know what the hell am I thinking, right? But, Off to the Races is winding to a close and I like to give myself options if I get stuck writing another peice, so here we are.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think, I'm really excited to see where this story goes and I hope some of you will join me for the ride.
> 
> Also go to this link to see character designs and backgrounds: [Link](http://aminoapps.com/p/c33wub)  
> Feel free to follow me on the Zelda Amino for more fan art and other little works

It felt like she was breathing fire, her lungs screamed with each step she took but she had to keep running.

Sand was filling her boots weighing her feet down, rubbing the skin of her ankles raw, but she had to keep running. 

Her favorite skirt was ruined but she had to cut it to make a sling for the tiny lives she held close to her chest. She prayed to the Golden Goddesses that the infants would stay quiet, their cries would echo across the empty expanse around them drawing unwanted attention to them.

The desert was foriegn to her, unmarked territory full of dangerous creatures… and people. It had seemed like her best option at the time but the further she ran into the golden expanse of sand the more it occurred to her that it was a terrible place for her to be.

There was no food, no water, nowhere for her to hide. It would only be a matter of time before the men pursuing her caught up with her. 

"This way!" A muffled cry echoed across the empty sky and she turned to see a group of four men clad in skin tight red and grey suits and masks crossing over a dune behind her following the deep gouges her steps left in the loose sand. 

Fear washed over her as the men picked up their pace, the sun glinted off of their weapons sending blinding streaks of light up into the air. 

She stumbled as she tried to pick up her pace causing one of the infants in her arms to stir. The boy blinked up at her slowly, his eyes still the cloudy blue of a newborn. Her heart ached for the child, life would not be kind to him or his sister but she had vowed to protect them as their mother drew her final breath and she would go to the ends of the earth to keep her promise.

The boy let out a raspy breath before belting out a shrill cry. The sound echoed across the sands and her heart dropped to her toes. 

There were things far more terrifying than the men following her in these sands and now they knew she was here. 

Her foot caught the edge of her tattered skirt sending her tumbling to the ground. She used her body as a shield as she fell cradling the infants to her chest to keep them from harm. 

The girl woke, startled by the sudden jolt and joined her brother, their combined cries reverberated in her chest and out into the open air. 

The woman holding them desperately tried to comfort them, but she knew there was nothing she could do. Pain flared up her leg, she had twisted her ankle in the fall. 

There was no way she could outrun them now.

She curled herself around the infants, a few hot tears fell from her eyes onto their tiny faces. "I'm sorry little ones, I tried," 

She didn't bother looking up as the sand shifted around her. "Well, well what have we here?" The man's voice was muffled by his mask but the wicked tone it carried was unmask able. 

"A lost little handmaiden," She looked up as the second man spoke with a cruel laugh. 

"Shame, she's a pretty little thing," The third crouched down to her level and gripped her face roughly. "Such piercing green eyes," 

Her lips curled into a snarl as she reared back and spit, it was unladylike and had no effect on the man because of his mask but the point was made. 

He shoved her away from him and slowly wiped the front of his mask. "Feisty," 

Her black hair had long since fallen from its ties and hung around her in matted curls. She could only imagine how she must look, like a cornered animal resorting to glares and snapping teeth. 

The fourth member of the group stepped forward brandishing their weapon. "Quit messing around," A harsh feminine voice came from behind the mask. "We have a job to do, and those little shits are getting on my nerves," 

The fallen woman tucked the infants even tighter against her chest as the masked woman stepped closer to her and raised the wickedly curved blade in her hand. 

A low roar echoed across the sands and the masked woman paused. "What was that?" 

"The wind?" One of the masked men shrugged.

The fallen woman watched as the group began bickering. She debated on trying to make a break for it but when she tried to flex her ankle pain shot up her leg. She wouldn't get very far on that foot. 

The roar echoed again closer this time. "That wasn't the wind Rikah," one of the men turned to the woman that was obviously their leader. "Let's just go, they'll die out here anyway," 

"No," Rikah snapped. "The Interlopers want those brats alive," 

The Interlopers? Were they the ones behind this?

The fallen woman was shaken from her thoughts as the ground began to tremble. Something was coming their way, something very large and very fast. 

A small cry fell from her lips as a massive beast leapt over a dune behind the four masked figures. It was unlike anything she had seen, it stood hunched on four legs it's massive shoulders heaving as it looked over the tiny humans before it. 

Massive tusks protruded from its boar like face and a thick crimson mane framed its face and shoulders trailing down to form a thick tail. It's left arm was covered in nasty looking scars that marred the dark almost black fur that covered its body. 

Wickedly sharp claws tipped the end of each of its oddly human fingers and dug into the sand leaving gaping wounds in their wake. 

The fallen woman began pedaling backward away from the creature, the twins in her arms had quieted down, giving her a chance to slip away unnoticed. 

"Rikah," The man that spoke was visibly shaking. "What the hell is that?" 

"Something that should be put down before it causes trouble," The masked woman stepped forward and the beast narrowed its golden eyes. "Unless it wishes to be of use to us," 

The beast opened its mouth and roared before raising one of it's paws and batting the masked woman away like a toy. Her companions cried out in alarm as her body ragdolled and fell limply into the sand several yards away. 

The beast snorted, challenging the remaining men to approach it. They looked to one another before bolting past the creature back the way they had come. 

It watched them go, knowing that they would never make it out of the desert.

Once they had gone it turned its attention to the woman trembling in the sand a few feet from it. 

She scrambled back as the beast stepped toward her and it paused. It's golden eyes softened as it took another step toward her, closing the distance between them. 

It took a deep breath, blasting hot air across her face. One of the twins, the boy, let out a startled cry at the sudden disturbance and the beast recoiled from her letting out several quick grunts of confusion.

She quickly pulled the infants flush to her chest, guarding them from the unknown creature. "Please, let us go," She felt ridiculous, she had no idea if the beast could even understand her.

The beast let out one last puff of air before turning and disappearing over the dune from where it had come. 

Once she had lost sight of it she collapsed. Heaving sobs wracked her exhausted body as she curled around the infants. She was tired and she was alone, with nowhere to go and no way to care for the two children bundled against her chest. 

She jerked up as the sand beside her shifted, she was expecting to see the masked men again but instead she met the gaze of a stranger. 

She had never seen a Gerudo before, but there was no denying that this was a member of the desert dwelling race. He was tall and broad with sepia toned skin and long crimson hair that fell around his shoulders like a mane. 

His left arm and part of his chest were covered by a sleeve that was buckled into place around his chest and secured by a golden clip. His pants were loose fitting and gathered at his ankles leaving him with plenty of room to maneuver while staying cool in the glaring heat. 

He knelt down to her level and cocked his head to the side as he examined her. He said something in a strange language, his voice was deep and his tone caring even if she couldn't understand him. 

"I'm sorry," She swallowed thickly, her mouth felt like cotton as dehydration slowly settled in. "I don't understand," 

The man smirked. "I apologize," He spoke a heavily accented Hylian but it was understandable. "I should have known you wouldn't speak our tongue," 

He extended his hand to her and she gingerly took it so he could help her to her feet. Her ankle screamed in protest as she tried to put weight on it. She hissed lowly and the man helped to steady her by placing his hand on her lower back. 

One of the twins, the girl, stirred making a soft cooing sound as she reached for the woman holding her. The woman smiled softly and let the girl wrap her tiny hand around her finger. 

"Come," The man nodded his head. "Our camp is not far from here, vehvi that young should not be out in this heat," 

He easily helped support her weight as they trudged through the loose sand. "So you're a Gerudo, right?" She looked up at the man helping her, the top of her head barely reached the bottom of his ribs.

"Yes," His response was curt.

"Is it true, what they say about the Gerudo?" His grip on her shoulder stiffened. "The one male every hundred years thing?" 

"Yes," His tone darkened slightly and she turned to look off into the distance.

"I'm sorry, I'm usually better at conversation than this," She tried to give him a weak smile but exhaustion was taking its toll on her. 

Several moments of awkward silence passed. "My name is Aeris by the way," The man looked down at her and she noticed his eyes were an unnatural shade of gold. "What's yours?" 

"My name is not important," He looked back up toward the horizon. "What is important is that we get you and your vehvi to shelter before nightfall," 

"Right," She glanced down at her feet. "Sorry for troubling you," 

"No, trouble," His grip on her shoulder softened. 

They walked for what felt like miles the throbbing in her ankle was slowly fading but the stiffness remained. The sun was slowly beginning to sink below the horizon when they finally crested a dune and a small group of colorful tents came into view. 

People in equally colorful attire were bustling about between the tents, lighting fires and preparing for the coming night. 

The world blurred as Aeris stepped forward and her knees buckled. She sent silent thanks to the Goddesses that the man standing next to her was there to break her fall.


	2. Chapter Two

Aeris awoke to the faint sounds of crackling fires and muffled voices, she bolted upright panting as the images of her nightmare faded. She took a few gasping breaths and took in her surroundings. 

Someone had laid her on a mound of colorful pillows and covered her in a thin blanket with an intricate woven pattern. She was in a large tent shielded from the bitter cold of the desert night, a low fire burned in the center of the room and the smoke spiraled up and out of a slot at the peak of the tent. 

A soft sound drew her attention away from the embers and she threw the blanket off of herself as she saw a small bassinet made of tightly woven fibers just out of her reach. She rushed to the cradle and let out a breath of relief as she met the dusty blue eyes of one of the twins she had been entrusted with. 

Both of the children were there but the girl was wide awake, her eyes already holding too much wisdom for one so small. “Hello, little one,” Aeris reached into the bassinet and lifted the girl up into her arms. “Too much excitement to sleep, huh?” 

The girl cooed softly and wrapped her chubby fist in Aeris’s loose hair. “Easy now,” Aeris chuckled as the girl pulled on the strand of hair in her grasp. “How about a lullaby?” As if on queue the girl yawned and buried her face into Aeris’s shirt. “Now, I’m not as good of a singer as your mama, but I’ll try,” 

She was suddenly struck by a pang of sorrow, she would never hear her mistress's lovely singing voice again. She swallowed back the thought and took a shaky breath. 

_“Go to sleep, rest upon your bed, may this night bring dreams to your head.”_ The first verse of the ancient lullaby slipped past her lips barely a whisper.

_“Hear my voice, never let it die, keep this lullaby.”_ Her voice wavered as she continued, the irony of the line was nearly too much to bear.

_“Soon the sun shall set on, long it will be till dawn, never from you will I be gone,”_ She could only hope that she was doing her mistress proud as the baby in her arms slowly closed her eyes. 

_“Carry on, rid this world of fear, now the time is near, peace will soon reign here…”_ She swallowed the lump in her throat as the last note faded from her lips. 

“You have a lovely voice,” Aeris nearly jumped out of her skin as a deep voice echoed behind her, the jolt was enough to wake the girl in her arms.

“Holy Hylia you scared me,” She turned to the man who had brought her here with a small scowl on her face. 

“Apologies,” His accent was thick and strange, but alluring in an exotic way. He was eyeing her strangely as she slowly bounced the infant in her arms trying to lull her back to sleep. “What was that you were singing?” 

The way he asked the question made her feel as if he already knew the answer. “It’s a common enough Hylian lullaby,” 

He nodded accepting her answer. “They’ve been fed and changed,” Aeris quirked her brow as he began browsing the papers on a desk near the tent’s entrance. “The vai were all too happy to care for your vehvi while you slept,” 

“Vai?” She sighed as she resigned to the fact that the girl was not going back to sleep anytime soon. 

The man chuckled lightly. “Our word for woman,” He lifted one of the papers to his face before frowning and putting it back down. “Both singular and plural,” 

Aeris made a surprised sound. “You speak Hylian surprisingly well, where did you learn?” 

“Here and there,” He turned toward her with a small smile. “A walk might help,” 

“Huh?” She had been staring at him, admiring his hair when he spoke and she made an undignified sound as she was snapped from her stupor. “A walk?” 

“The vehvi, if she can’t sleep taking her for a walk might help,” He smirked at her before turning back to his papers. “It did with my sisters anyway,” 

“You have sisters?” For some reason, the thought was amusing to her, from what she had learned of the Gerdo they didn’t seem like the type to have families. 

“We’re all related in some way, but yes I have three younger sisters,” He stopped going through the papers and turned to her. “It’s late, but I would be more than happy to show you around the camp,” 

She looked down at the baby in her arms who in turn looked up at her, still wide awake. “That would be lovely, thank you,” 

He pushed the flap of the tent open and motioned for her to lead the way. A blast of cold air greeted her as she stepped out into the night and she pulled the infant in her arms closer to her chest. “I had no idea it got this cold out here at night,” 

“Blistering heat or frigid cold, there is no in-between here,” She turned to look at him, he sounded so melancholy. 

“It must be hard,” She followed closely behind him as he began making his way through the rows of tents. “Living out here,” 

“It is,” The matter of fact tone of his voice took her by surprise. “But we manage,” 

“It’s lovely through,” She sped up to walk next to him. “There’s nothing nearly this colorful in Hyrule,” Even in the dark lit by only firelight the tents were vibrant, unlike anything she had ever seen before. 

“Is that so?” He gave her an amused little look before turning and nodding toward a Gerudo they were approaching. “Nabooru, any signs of trouble?” 

The woman he spoke to was gorgeous, her long crimson hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and muscles rippled under her crisp brown skin. “It’s quiet tonight,” Her thick lips split into a playful smirk. “Big brother,” She leaned against the spear she was holding as she smiled.

The man gave the woman a scathing look. “Let me know if that changes,” 

“Sure thing,” The woman waggled her eyebrows at the man playfully before flicking her eyes down to where Aeris was standing next to the man before saying something quickly in their native language. 

The man made a sound deep in his throat before replying just as quickly leaning Aeris in the dark as to what they were saying. They went back and forth several times obviously talking about her before the woman finally shook her head and returned to her patrol. 

“What was that about?” It was bold of her to ask, but she felt that she had the right to know. 

“Don’t let her get to you,” The man shook his head softly, sending ripples through his crimson hair. “Nabooru is overly protective,” 

“One of your sisters?” There was a familial resemblance between the two of them, it would only make sense.

“The oldest of them,” He smiled fondly, he obviously cared greatly for his family. 

They continued walking in silence for a while as he made what was apparently his nightly rounds. He stopped and talked to each of the guards on patrol and introduced Aeris to a few of the friendlier looking ones, with a promise that the others would warm up to her soon. 

They finally stopped just outside of the camp, away from prying eyes and ears. The baby in Aeris’s arms was still wide awake and seemed to grow restless as the night wore on. Almost like she was waiting for something. 

“They aren’t yours are they?” The question caught her off guard as he turned to look at her, the moon cast a dark shadow on his face that sent a pang of fear down her spine.

“No,” She was honest, there was no point in lying. Both of the twins had straight blonde hair and fair skin while she had ebony curls and a darker complexion. “Their mother was a friend of mine,” That was the truth as well, but she couldn’t let anyone know who the children truly were, she had promised. “I promised to take care of them after she died,”

The man nodded. “Noble,” 

“Are you going to tell me your name?” He had been doing most of the talking during their outing and she felt it was her turn. 

The man made a face before turning away from her. “How much do you know about our history?” 

“Not much,” She swallowed thickly as he turned back to her, the shadows on his face even darker than before. “Aside from the obvious…” 

Everyone knew that part of history.

The man scoffed. “If I tell you, will you tell me why those men were chasing you through the desert?”

She froze. He had seen that? Why hadn’t he said anything before? Why had he still taken her in? “As much as I can,” 

He nodded softly and looked toward the moon. “I am-” 

“Ganondorf!” 

The name shot through Aeris like an icy spike, the name that plagued every Hylian child’s nightmares. Her eyes widened as the man before her snapped his head toward where the name had been shouted from. She followed his gaze to see the woman from before, Nabooru, racing toward them pointing past them.

“Archer!” 

She snapped her head toward the direction the woman was pointing and her blood ran cold. Standing on top of a nearby dune was a lone archer, bow drawn and ready to fire. An archer in red and grey with a cracked mask revealing a strand of white hair that glowed in the moonlight. 

She didn’t have time to process all of the information being presented to her before the archer let their arrow fly, directly toward her. She closed her eyes as the world around her slowed, she tucked the infant in her arms tightly against her chest and waited for the arrow to hit its target.

But it never came. 

She slowly cracked her eyes open and blue filled her vision. She opened her eyes fully and found herself encased in a blue crystal. The man and Nabooru were both staring at her slack-jawed, but they weren’t staring at her. They were staring at what she was holding.

She followed their gaze and her stomach flipped, a soft golden light was radiating from the bundle in her arms. The infant cooed, sounding proud of herself and a soft breeze caressed Aers’s skin as the crystal melted away. 

None of the adults said anything as they all stared at the baby, who yawned and finally fell back asleep. 

“Nabooru, take your best guards and track down that archer,” Aeris looked to the dune the archer had been standing on, but they were long gone. 

“Right, away,” The woman nodded and dashed back into the rows of tents shouting orders as she went. 

“I think we both have some explaining to do,” He turned the same way that Nabooru had gone and motioned for her to follow.

Fear washed over her as her feet moved without her permission, following him even though her senses were screaming at her to run the opposite direction. This man, who had been nothing but kind to her, was Ganondorf. The King of evil, malice incarnate and he knew the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics I used for Zelda's Lullaby can be found here-->> [Zelda's Lullaby, lyrics by twilightstorm1994 and vocals by adrisaurus](https://youtu.be/LAWISz_LBzs)


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys I just want to pop in and say thanks to anyone who is reading this, I know things are pretty tense for those of us in the US right now and I hope that seeing a fic you enjoy update gives you a bit of relief. 
> 
> Stay safe and stay strong guys

Silence and fear filled the void of Aeris’s mind as she followed the Gerudo male through the rows of tents. She clutched the small infant in her arms close to her chest trying to shield her from view.

It was impossible, there was no way that the man leading her through the camp was Ganondorf. The creature from ancient stories that had been hell-bent on destroying all that was good and pure. Her eyes burned through his back as she stared, trying to wrap her mind around the very real possibility that the man who had saved her was actually a monster. 

“I can feel you staring, little Hylian,” His deep voice ripped her from her thoughts. He hadn’t turned to look at her but his gaze was heavy in her mind, those intense golden eyes smoldered in her memories. “We will talk soon enough, once we are somewhere more private,” 

The thought of being alone with him terrified her beyond belief. This was the boogeyman of Hylian lore. The man who had burned Hyrule to the ground countless times in his conquest for power.

The greatest threat to the tiny life she held in her arms. 

The baby cooed softly as her eyes slowly drooped and slumber once again took her tiny form and she was whisked away to the realm of dreams. Aeris swallowed back her fears as she heard her mistress’s final pleas echo through her mind. She had sworn to protect these children until her own dying breath.

She just didn’t know how she was going to face off against a demon straight out of legend.

She turned her face away from the giant of a man as he brushed aside the flaps of the centermost tent and motioned for her to enter. She couldn’t bring herself to look into those golden eyes, eyes that had looked so kindly at her. 

There was a Gerudo woman standing in the tent as they entered. She was softer than the other woman Aeris had seen around the camp, rounder than those who wielded the wickedly sharp spears but just as tall and intimidating. 

She smiled broadly as they entered the tent and happily exclaimed something in the strange harsh language of the desert. The man behind Aeris grunted a reply before moving past Aeris and lightly grasping the woman by the forearm and touching his forehead to the woman’s, connecting the gems that rested between their brows. 

Aeris turned away from the oddly intimate gesture. Hylians were extremely proper people, such displays of affection were reserved for behind closed doors. The pair turned toward her and the man she refused to look in the eye placed a hand on the Gerudo woman’s shoulder. 

“Kasare, will take the vehvi,” Aeris instinctively clutched the infant in her arms closer to her chest and her eyes flicked toward the bassinet where the boy was still sleeping. “To feed them and to make certain that their exposure to the elements hasn’t harmed them in any way,” 

His eyes flicked over her form and softened as he noticed the fear rolling off of her in waves, “No harm will come to them while they are within our borders,” 

His words did little to ease her anxieties but the gentle smile that Kasare was giving her helped if only a little. “Thank you,” 

The woman nodded softly and lifted the sleeping boy from the bassinet, cooing softly as she did before she crossed the room and reached for the other child in the Hylian woman’s arms. “I will,” The woman spoke in a harsh broken Hylian and struggled to find her words. “Care… for them,” She smiled as the word she had been looking for came to her.

Aeris nodded lightly and carefully handed the girl in her arms over to the woman, even though her heart was crying for her not to. “Thank you, again,” 

The Gerudo woman smiled and nodded as she took the child and exited the tent leaving Aeris and Ga-- the man alone in the low lit room of the tent. 

“You fear me,” His voice cut through Aeris like a bolt of lightning.

“Do you blame me?” She was proud of the way her voice barely wavered as she spoke. 

He ran his tongue over his teeth before he moved to the firepit in the center of the room and gently stroked the embers. “No,”

Silence settled over the room as they watched each other, he was at least attempting to look busy. Stoking the fire, browsing the papers on the low table near the mound of pillows she had been asleep on hours earlier. But Aeris stood frozen, waiting for the gentle facade around him to melt away revealing the demon under his skin. 

“You are staring again,” He glanced at her and smirked softly. “Hylians never change,”

“I-” Aeris paused, the words she had wanted to say stuck in her throat. “We’re very stubborn people,” 

The man laughed, truly laughed as he put the papers in his hands back onto the table. “You are a strange little Hylian,” He shook his head softly sending his thick crimson mane cascading down his back. 

Aeris laughed nervously. This man was not what she imagined when she pictured Ganondorf, the ancient King of Evil, the demon of Hyrule’s past. 

“Tell me little one,” Aeris’s nose scrunched at the nickname but said nothing for fear of angering the man before her. “How exactly did you come to be in my lands with the Prince and Princess of Hyrule clutched in your arms?” 

He knew, but of course, he knew. The magic that ran through the girl’s veins was the same that had run through the veins of every princess before her. The magic that had sealed or vanquished him countless times before, the magic that had saved her life. 

“Do not worry,” He seemed to be staying on the opposite side of the tent on purpose, whether distancing himself from her was for her or his own comfort she didn’t know. “I have no desire for power, I only wish for my people to live peacefully,” His words held little comfort for her. 

Another moment of silence fell over them as Aeris struggled to find the appropriate words to describe her predicament. 

“The King and Queen of Hyrule are dead,” She must have made a face or flinched because he nodded solemnly. “It would appear that Hyrule has bigger things than me to worry about this time around,” 

“The woman,” Aeris’s voice wavered as she finally spoke. “The archer from earlier, she was there,” Violent images flashed through her mind and she had to take a minute to breathe. “I was Queen Zelda’s chosen handmaiden, we were touring the country showing off the newly born prince and princess,” 

She took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes trying to chase the images from her mind. “We had to pass through a canyon near the desert’s border and we were ambushed,” She could still remember feeling the carriage jolt to a stop and hearing the men guarding them begin screaming. “People in a perverted version of the Sheikah garb swarmed us from all sides, killing indiscriminately. The queen gave me the babies and begged me to run, so told me that we would be safe here, that there were people here who would help us,” 

“She wasn’t wrong,” Ganondorf stepped across the midline of the room but still kept his distance from her. “Your queen and I have been in talks for most of our lives, trying to find some semblance of peace between our people,” His eyes softened with something resembling sorrow as he spoke. “But Hyrule’s fear runs deep and ancient grudges are not easily forgiven,” 

“I’ve been with Lady Zelda since I was fifteen and I never knew that,” She had only been four years younger than her mistress who was still only a princess when Aeris’s father had arranged for her to join the court as a handmaiden. The two of them had essentially grown up together and had become something more akin to friends than master and servant. 

“You may stay here, raise the vehvi amongst my people and we will keep you safe,” Something hung in the air, heavy and unknown as he stepped closer to Aeris. 

“And in return?” She looked up at him, her green eyes narrowed.

“I will only ask for two things in return,” He held up two of his large fingers and his golden eyes bore down into her. “Once they are old enough I will personally train them,” He gripped the thin fabric covering his right arm and half of his chest as if something under it was causing him pain. “They will need help honing the power within their blood,” 

“And the other request?” Her unease around the large man was melting away the longer she was in his presence. 

“Once they come of age they will retake their parent’s throne and establish peace with my people,” 

“Those are reasonable requests,” Her chest hurt, these were things that would take years to come to fruition but more so they were more reasonable requests than they had any right to be. 

“You will be made comfortable and will live amongst us as one of us, as my personal guest,” The tent flap opened behind them snapping them out of the haze that had formed around them.

Kasare entered the tent with the two infants held tightly in her arms. She spoke in the language of the desert and Ganondorf was quick to translate. “They have been fed and changed again and Kasare will help you keep them on a schedule while they are nursing,”

“Thank you,” She knew the twin’s schedule, she had been with them from the moment they were born, but knowing that she wouldn’t have to worry about them going hungry was a gift from the goddesses.

Kasare nodded and handed the twins to Aeris before ducking out of the tent, back into the night. “You may stay here until a tent can be arranged for you,”

“Wait,” She called to him as he turned to leave the tent. “This is your tent isn’t it?” He turned back to her and nodded. “Where will you stay?”

He thought for a moment before smiling softly. “It has been too long since my sisters have spent quality time with me, they will be more than willing to torture me for a day or two,” The thought of him having his hair braided by giggling girls made her smile softly. 

“Sav’orr, little Hylians,” He was gone before she could respond, vanished into the night.

The twins in her arms shuffled slightly seeking her warmth. She cooed at them softly and gently lowered them back down into the bassinet as the ancient Hylian lullaby once again fell softly from her lips and faded into the night.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I'm so sorry for the delayed update but between Age of Calamity and some other stuff I've been kind of preoccupied.
> 
> I also wanted to say that this story is heavily inspired by "Growing up Gerudo" by Junior and Roy if you haven't read their comic you can find it on Tumblr and Webtoons. 
> 
> Anyway I can die happy because Junior liked some art I posted on Twitter. Nothing related to this story of course, I think I would die if they found this.

The tent that was provided for Aeris and the little ones was smaller than Ganondorf’s tent, but that was to be expected. It was decorated to the bare minimum with a simple low cot and a threadbare rug to cover the floor and keep the sand at bay. She didn’t mind though, it was a place for them and she would make it theirs.

The twins were secured against her chest in the torn scrap of her skirt as she pittered around the tent trying to find something to keep herself occupied between feedings. The heat during the day kept her confined to the inside of the tent and she was slowly losing her mind, at least in Ganondorf’s tent there had been books to read. 

The sound of the flap of the tent being drawn back drew her attention from the swirling pattern on the rug. “Vasaaq,” The Gerudo standing in the doorway looked almost nervous as she stepped forward. 

“Hello,” Aeris smiled kindly and bounced the twins as they stirred softly. “Can I help you?”

“My name is Urora,” She was older with her bright red hair pulled back into a tight bun. “This is for you,” She opened the palm of her hand to reveal a small vial filled with some kind of cream. 

“Oh, thank you,” Aeris wrapped one arm around the bundle against her chest to stabilize the babies and crossed the room to take the vial. 

“For your skin, to protect it from the sun,” Her lips were painted a deep orange and split into a small grin as Aeris took the vial. “It is gentle enough to be used on vehvi as well,” 

“That’s fantastic!” The thought of finally being able to get out of her tent and out amongst the people in the camp was music to her ears. “Thank you so much!” 

“You are welcome little one,” Her smiled turned into something almost motherly as she watched Aeris open the vial and smell the contents. “How long have you been in that dress?” Urora’s kohl-lined golden eyes narrowed in something akin to disgust.

Aeris looked down suddenly self-conscious under the woman’s scrutinous gaze. “A few days,” 

“A few days!” Urora’s eyes widened “No matter, I will bring you something else to wear,” 

“Oh, no you don’t need to do that I’ll manage,” Aeris shook her head and stepped back from the woman before her. “You’ve been kind enough already,” 

“Nonsense,” She waved her hand dismissively. “You are in need and my daughter has clothes to spare,” 

“Oh,” Aeris ducked her eyes to the floor. “Well, only if she doesn’t want or need them,” 

Urora smiled softly and laid a hand on Aeris’s shoulder. “I will see what I can come up with,” Zelda stirred softly and cooed as she reached up and grabbed a fist full of Aeris’s stray hair. “Ah, and I will bring you some of my daughter’s infant clothes for your little ones,” 

“You’re too kind,” Aeris smiled painfully as Zelda tugged on the strand of hair. “Really,” 

“Not at all,” Urora chuckled. “We will make a Vatta of you yet,” 

“Vatta?” Aeris questioned as Urora turned to leave. She was beginning to pick up on a few Gerudo words here and there, but ‘vatta’ was one she had yet to hear. 

“Mother,” Urora smirked as she pulled back the flap of the tent. “We will make a mother of you yet,” 

The flap of the tent fluttered shut leaving Aeris alone to stare down at the bundle in her arms. She would never be their mother, but she would try her damnedest to be the next best thing. 

The flap of the tent opened again and Aeris looked up to see Ganondorf standing in her doorway. He had the bassinet that had been in his tent tucked under his left arm, the fabric that covered his arm strained against his chest and shoulder trying to accommodate the thick bands of muscles under it. 

“Hello,” She straightened her back and lifted her head, similarly to the way she would hold herself at her lady’s side. “Can I help you?” 

The tension in the air was thick as Ganondorf bowed his head to completely enter the room. “I brought this for you,” He lifted the bassinet slightly. “I have no use for it and I doubt any of my sisters will be having vehvi anytime soon,” 

“Thank you,” She was unsure of what else to say as he set the bassinet down. “That was kind of you,” 

He chuckled softly and bowed his head. “You need it more than I do,” 

“Why are you all being so kind to me?” It was obvious why he was being kind to her, she was holding the two greatest threats to any plans he could possibly have. But, the longer she was here the less she thought that was true.

He seemed to think for a moment, simply staring at her with those intense golden eyes. “You are in need of help are you not?” 

Her brows furrowed. “I mean I guess, but,” 

“No,” He held up his hand to silence her. “I could only hope that Hylians would do the same for one of my people in need,” 

Silence fell over the room and Aeris absentmindedly let Zelda play with her finger. “I guess you’re right,” 

It was odd being in the same room as Ganondorf, the man that was supposed to exude power and bloodlust built up over centuries of reincarnation cycles. Zelda, the late Zelda had told her stories, the scrambled peices of memories from past lives and they all told of the same man that until his dying breath vied for power.

But, the man before her seemed the almost polar opposite. He was intimidating, but not in the ‘I want to take over the world and crush those who stand in my way,’ way and he didn’t hold himself like royalty. He walked freely among his people, asking them what they needed, and providing for them in any way he can. 

“You look lost,” His voice drew her from her thoughts, and heat flared in her cheeks as he looked at her with mild concern on his face. 

“I’m not sure if I can trust you yet,” Her voice was barely more than a whisper and she refused to meet his gaze. 

“I understand,” There was almost a hint of pain in his voice.

“I’m sorry,” Her toes were suddenly very interesting as he nodded slowly.

“Don’t apologize,” She heard the flap of the tent open. “Your feelings are valid,” 

She wanted to kick herself in the teeth as she looked up just in time to see him disappear through the tent flap.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of rough, and I really struggled with it for some reason or another. Anyway consider following me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DovahInquisitor) for art, updates, and the occasional incoherent rambling.

The sun beat down on the small encampment as it rose to its highest point in the sky. Even with the balm that Urora had so graciously given Aeris the Hylian woman still found her lungs burning in the scorching heat. But, it was nice to mingle with the Gerudo, who truly didn’t seem phased by the heat. 

The Gerudo didn’t have much to give, but what they did have they shared among each other without hesitation. Aeris had been wandering through the tents with the twins strapped to her chest with the tattered scrap of her skirt when a kind Gerudo had rushed to her side with a beautifully woven cloth in her hands. The Hylian woman had tried to refuse the gift but the Gerudo had insisted in broken Hylian. “No, you take for your vehvi,” 

Urora had later shown Aeris how to properly tie the sling and now the twins were much more comfortable and could join Aeris as she ventured out for longer periods of time. 

She had been amazed the first time she had stumbled across the makeshift market at the center of the camp. No currency was exchanged, instead goods were traded to those that needed them in exchange for something that the giver needed. Aeris had never seen anything like it in her life, Hylians, especially Hylian merchants, tended to lean a bit on the stingy side and the value of the Rupee tended to fluctuate depending on which part of Hyrule one was in. 

She was sitting in the shade of a palm tree simply watching the Gerudo go about their daily lives when a small child approached her with something held tightly in her hands. The child was adorable with her striking red hair pulled into a pair of spiraling pigtails, she was wearing a thin dress that resembled what Aeris knew as a chemise. 

The child said nothing as she placed the object in her hands near Aeris’s feet before turning and bolting back into the maze of tents. Aeris watched her go chuckling to herself softly as she reached for the object. It was a piece of fruit, a Voltfruit, if she wasn’t mistaken, she had only ever seen one of the strange fruits before, and she honestly had no clue how to go about eating it. 

She would have to ask Urora about it later.

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

She developed a kind of routine as she settled into life among the Gerudo. Every day she would walk through the rows of tents and slowly she began picking up on their language. A word at a time and clumsily, but she was making progress.

There was a lot of miming and pointing in the beginning, but she knew enough now to at least fumble her way through a rudimentary conversation. 

She sighed heavily as she settled against the base of what had become her palm tree. She could be found in its shade everyday around noon watching as the Gerudo mingled among the tents. The infants strapped to her chest stirred slightly, and she ran her knuckle over Zelda’s chin. “Easy now love, it’s time for your nap,” 

She smiled as Link reached up and grabbed her hand with his pudgy fist. “You too, little warrior,” 

She wasn’t sure where the nickname had come from, but it had stuck.

She turned as the sand beside her shifted, she turned and smiled as the girl that gifted her the Volftruit settled in the shade beside her holding another strange fruit in her grasp. This one was a striped green sphere that the child could barely wrap her arms around. The girl said nothing as she stared down at the fruit in her arms and every, so often she would slowly look up only to turn away quickly as she caught Aeris’s gaze. 

“Vasaaq,” The child jumped and stared up at Aeris with wide golden eyes as the Gerudo greeting fell from her lips. She was almost positive that her pronunciation was absolutely dreadful, but it had gotten the child’s attention. 

A small smile spread across the child’s face, and she rolled the strange fruit in her arms across the sand toward Aeris. “Sarqso,” 

The girl giggled loudly and shook her head before repeating the thanks back to Aeris, correcting her pronunciation. The Hylian woman repeated the word again, correctly this time, the word was strange on her tongue but the way the child clapped as she said it correctly made her heart happy. 

The child said something in the Gerudo’s strange language before wrinkling her nose in annoyance. She rose to her knees and pointed at the center of Aeris’s chest before repeating herself. Aeris put her hand on her chest careful not to disturb the infants that rested there. “Me?” 

The child nodded quickly and jabbed her finger several times. “My name is Aeris,” 

The girl smiled brightly, and she said the name a few times marveling at its foreignness. Once she had mastered the word she touched her own chest and nodded confidently. “Ilal,” 

“Your name is Ilal?” The girl, Ilal, nodded again before moving closer to Aeris and motioning toward the bundle against her breast. Aeris followed her gaze and smiled. “This is Link,” She pulled the edge of the cloth away revealing the infants to the girl. “And Zelda,” 

“Link and Zelda?” The girl mulled over the names before nodding and rising to her feet. “Sav’orq,” She waved as she turned to leave.

“Goodbye,” Aeris returned the girls wave and laughed as the child turned back around and repeated the farewell to her in Hylian.

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

Her meetings with Ilal became daily occurrences and slowly but surely they began teaching each other their languages. The girl was a quick study and was soon surpassing Aeris in their progress. As the weeks wore on the girl began bringing her friends with her to these meetings, until Aeris had amassed a small class of Gerudo children each eager to learn the strange new language.

“Miss Aeris, will you tell us a Hylian story?” The other children nodded excitedly as Ilal spoke up. Aeris gently bounced the twins in her arms as she mulled over the question. She knew that the Gerudo had their own Deity and legends to go along with her, but one couldn’t go wrong with the story of creation. 

“Have any of you heard of how Hyrule was created?” The children shook their heads and she smiled. This would be the first of many times that she recanted the tale. “Well, once there was nothing but chaos and darkness until the three golden goddesses came together to bring order and light to the world,” 

The Gerudo children listened with wide eyes and open ears as she repeated the tale that she had heard for as long as she could remember. None of them spoke or interrupted until she had finished the story. 

“But, how does the Goddess of the Sand fit in with that?” One of the more quiet, thoughtful children spoke up breaking the silence. 

Aeris once again mulled over her options. “Well it is said that the goddesses are sisters, perhaps your goddess is another of those sisters tasked to protect the desert and your people in the same way that Hylia is tasked with protecting Hyrule,” 

“Perhaps so,” Aeris jumped as a deep voice interrupted their little group. She looked up to see Ganondorf standing at the edge of the shade cast by the palm tree with his arms crossed. 

“Alright, that enough for today I’m sure your Vattas will be looking for you all,” The children nodded and rose to their feet before dashing off echoing their goodbyes to Aeris.

“How long has this been going on?” Ganondorf stepped forward and extended his hand to Aeris.

“Long enough for me to learn some for your language and them, mine,” She took his hand and let him help her to her feet. “Are you upset?”

“No,” He took his hand away once she was steadily on her feet. “It is good for them to learn,” 

Aeris nodded as she shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “Are you settling well?” She looked up only to turn away from his gaze once she met it. 

“Well enough,” She smiled nervously and shifted her weight. “I should go, it’s time for the twins nap,” 

She pushed past him before he could say anything else, but she felt his eyes on her until she turned the corner and disappeared into the maze of tents.


End file.
